Alice In Chains drummer Sean Kinney has compared the leaking of their album to being raped in prison.

The Seattle rock outfit release their new long-player 'Black Gives Way To Blue' today, but fans have been able to hear the record online for weeks after it was leaked two weeks ago.

Speaking about the leak to Chicago DJ Tim Virgin, Kinney said: "You know it's gonna happen 'cause it's part of (the industry), but you just hope it doesn't happen too far in advance.

"It's nothing unique (but) we hadn't been through it, 'cause we hadn't made a record in 14 years, so I think that's the initial shock. It's like, 'What?'

"It's like going to prison - you're know you're gonna get raped, but you're not ready for it. You think you're all prepared for it, but you're not really prepared for how violent that rape is. It's like, 'Wow! He's really giving it to me.'"

'Black Gives Way To Blue' is Alice In Chains' first album since 1995 and their first without frontman Layne Staley who died after injecting a heroin and cocaine 'speedball' in April 2002.